2010 DUTCHMEN GRAND JUNCTION — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 DUTCHMEN GRAND JUNCTION FIFTH WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BREAKERS WERE OVERHEATING AND MADE A POPPING NOISE, WHICH CAUSED THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM TO FAIL. THERE WAS ALSO A BURNING ELECTRICAL ODOR ACCOMPANIED WITHY THE FAILURE. THE BREAKERS WERE REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V026000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT RV MECHANIC WHO ATTEMPTED TO GAIN APPROVAL FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO MAKE THE RECALL REPAIRS BECAUSE THE MECHANIC WAS AN AUTHORIZED KEYSTONE MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT APPROVE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER INSTEAD. THE CLOSEST DEALER TO THE CONTACT WAS OVER 200 MILES AWAY. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A FIRE OCCURRING. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD COVER A PORTION OF THE RECALL REPAIRS, IF NOT TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TRAILER DID NOT ACCUMULATE MILEAGE.

THE FRAME IMMEDIATELY BETWEEN THE DUAL AXEL CRACKED BUT REMIND TOGETHER. THE SIDE WALL AT THE TOP OF THE TRAILER ALSO CRACKED.THIS OCCURED ON THE HIWAY AND WAS NOTICED UPON PARKING THE TRAILER AT OUR DESTINATION. IF I HAD NOT STOPPED IT APPEARS THE REAR END OF THE TRAILER AND THE REAR AXEL WOULD HAVE ENTIRELY LOST THEIR INTEGRITY. THE ROAD SIDE OF THE TRAILER HAS A 1 TO 2 INCH SAG AT THE REAR END. UPON SEEEKING HELP I LEARNED THAT LIPPERT THE FRAME MANUFACTURER OFFERED A REPAIR PROCEDURE USING P/N 106124 THAT HAS BEEN IN EFFECT SINCE 2009 AND HAS "PLENTY" IN STOCK. THIS APPEARS TO BE A CONTINUING PROBLEM. TYPICAL HIWAY SPEED 65 MPH, MILEAGE APPROX. 35,000 MILES.

MY 2010 DUTCHMEN GRAND JUNCTION 340RL 5TH WHEEL CAMPER SUFFERED A MAJOR ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE IOTA ITS-50R POWER TRANSFER SWITCH MELTED AND CAUGHT FIRE. I'VE NOTED NHTSA ISSUED RECALLS FOR KEYSTONE RVS ONLY, YET MY PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN FOUND ON OTHER MANUFACTURERS. *TR UPDATED 1/15/13 *CN UPDATED 1/22/2013 *JS

1)8 TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED AFTER APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES ON EACH TIRE. FIRST NOTICED IS UNUSUAL TREAD WEAR AND BULGES IN THE TIRE CASING. BULGES CAN BE EITHER IN THE TREAD OR THE SIDEWALL NEAR THE RIM. 2)FAILURES HAVE BEEN TIRES GOING FLAT, TREAD SEPARATION FROM THE SIDEWALL. I HAVE HAD TWO SETS OF FOUR TIRES SUPPLIED BY THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER DUTCHMEN EXHIBIT THIS PLY SEPARATION AFTER APPROXIMATELY 8000 MILES. 3)ALL THE TIRES HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED, FIRST TIME BY THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER ALL AT ONCE AND THE SECOND SET ONE AT A TIME AFTER FAILURE WHILE ON THE ROAD. FOUR ORIGINAL DEFECTIVE AND ONE NON-DEFECTIVE TIRE WAS RETURNED THRU THE TRAILER MANUFACTURER, OF THE SECOND SET I HAVE ONE DEFECTIVE AND ONE SPARE WITH LESS THAN 178 MILES ON IT AND TWO OTHER DEFECTIVES ARE BEING HELD BY THE DEALERS WHO REPLACED THE TIRES, THE LAST DEFECTIVE HAS BEEN SENT TO RECYCLE. THE TIRE ID IS TRAIL EXPRESS "POWER TOWING" DOT CODE 1KMM16A 1311 SIZE ST235/80R16 LOAD RANGE E. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MODEL NUMBERS ARE YTR06 AND/OR HA109. UPDATED IVOQ 11/08/11. *KB